The Oilers looked like a team a few days before the start of the season, with 24 players, five coaches and third goalie Floyd Whitney on the ice for the morning skate today. They went through a bevy of cross-ice and two-on-two, and two-on-one passing drills. Sad thing is they didn’t come close to scoring as often as Peter Pocklington has been charged by creditors.

Sheldon Souray was out there and took part in every drill so he will suit up tonight. Ethan Moreau also skated hard, while wearing the darkest colour-tinted visor I’d seen, so expect him to play as well.

Moreau’s visor makes him look a bit like a Euro, but he insisted his game won’t change due to the visor.

What will change is the lineup. Moreau and Penner will dress tonight, and they’ll play on the same line with Kyle Brodziak.

21 – 10 – 83
12 – 89 – 78
19 – 13 – 34
18 – 51 – 27

This is how they will start but if the Kovalchuk - White - Little line gives the Oilers problems don’t be surprised to see Horcoff, Moreau and Pisani become a trio to try and shut them down.

MacTavish admitted the lines could become very interchangeable tonight. Altanta coach John Anderson told me yesterday on my show that he likes to juggle his lines a lot, so expect to see many different combinations tonight.

A Horcoff - Moreau - Pisani trio could become reality down the stretch as a shut-down line.

Don’t think MacTavish doesn’t listen to the radio or read the Internet based on his comments today. He was asked about O’Sullivan and his overall game.

“I’m trying to find offensive opportunities for O’Sullivan. I want to get him some power-play time. I’m not going to pigeon-hole him as a checker just yet, that’s apparently my expertise to turn offence into checkers. He is in the process right now, (he laughs) but hopefully he has more goals in him.”

It looks like MacTavish is going with his most offensive unit of the season. The competition for ice-time tonight should be fierce, and if players are going early MacTavish said they will play more.

The Thrashers are playing well right now, going 6-3-1 in their last ten, with Johan Hedberg between the pipes, so the Oilers can’t overlook the lottery-bound Thrashers.

Their top line of Kovalchuk - White - Little have combined for 82 goals and 183 points, compared to Hemsky - Horcoff - Penner’s 49 goals and 128 points. Look for Souray and Staios to match up against that line.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

@ Hoodlum:
well we may have a worse team, but our announcers ARE clearly better. Peter Loubardius (sp?) is easily the worst announcer in television. Seriously, the guy from Iron Chef America could do a better job.

@ Archaeologuy:
Right Peter Loubardius, I knew it was one of those losers. The guy looks like he's 1/2 a chromosome short, and he speaks like he's 2. Regardless I'll take Geno and his self embarrasing ancdotes anyday.

Imagine my dismay when I sat down, 1/2 hour late, to watch my PVRing hockey game ...hoping to play catchup and fast forward thru commercials and Gene Principe, only to find that the Flames game is on instead.

Gregor: No, I’m not threatening anything:)
I’m just saying, I don’t know, maybe you’re abrupt when you deal with your friends and/or are in social situations as well but the way you post here, it’s just very dismissive of anything you don’t believe in.
And that isn’t befitting some of the some of the things you Do believe in - some penalties being easier to kill off then others, the powers of Rick Rypien;) - and I don’t know why that is. You post here for some reason? Exposure and/or validation perhaps? You enjoy the back and forth because you keep posting, right?

You felt the need to question my reasoning with no backing of your opinion. I asked you to do and would gladly appreciate it. You didn't yet, when I make light of your "someone won't be as nice as I" you take offence.

I write here because they asked me to and thought people would be interested. IF you aren't interested don't read it. No one asks you to come and read or post. That is your choice. YOu love to question what I write, but I ask you to back it up and I'm to one who is abrupt? You like to challenge and attack people's comments, but when I ask you to do it you get all offended. Either don't question people or be prepared to back your stuff up. I still haven't seen anything from you that states how Potulny-like players bring their AHL success to the NHL. That was the point, yet you don't want to back up your statement.

As for penalties being easier to kill off, studying it and you will see. As for Rypien, which you bring up way too often. He is better suited as a 4th liner than Pouliot will be. He has been hurt this year, so until he is healthy you won't know. But his style is more becoming of a 4th liner, and that will never change.

Here's what I dont get, if your skating your balls off trying to catch a guy, and he hits the brakes and stops moving, why don't you just run him the f**k over? there should have been a smear on the ice in the slot